Road drag and grader



Ian. 31, 1928. 1,657,897

R. s. PEABODY ET AL ROAD DRAG AND GRADER Filed Jan. 24. 192'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' IN V EN TORS W A TTORNEYLS.

Jan. 31, 1928. 1,657,897

I R. s. PEABODY ET AL ROAD DRAG AND GRADER Filed Jan. '24, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 %)9lasa: 6 8

a w A TTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 31, 1928.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

RUSSELL s. PEABODY AND LYDIA A. DUNNUOK, or rnavnnwonrrr, KANSASySAiD RUSSELL s. PEABODY ASSIGNOR T0 s. PEABODY, or LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS.

ROAD DRAG AND GRADER.

Application fi led aanuar 24, 1927. Serial Nb. 163,181

The present invention relates to grading and dragging apparatus, such as devices intended to be used for road grading and dragging operations, as well as for scraping operatieiis as in clearing roads or other passageways of snow, and objects in new is to V drag and grading devicecomprising oneor moregradingmembers so mountedas to be adjusted into either a cutting position for effecting-the grading operation, or into an oppositely inclined position adapted for dragging purposes.

In its tus comprises a pair of grading members each of which is provided with connections for varying its operative position, and whereby said grading members may be separately and independently adjusted for causing both of thegrading members to efi'ect the same operating function, or for causing them to effect different functions, according to particular conditions of operation.

A further objector the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character in which the grading member is, so mounted as to rock, for its adjustment, about a horizontal axis located below the-middle longitudinal line of the grading member, for greater efliciencyin its operation.

Another. feature or theinvention. is the provisioir of a draft nember which is pivotally connected to the framework of the apparatus intermediate the ends of the draft member, and including a free projecting arm extending in position for engagement with the framework at a point correspondingto the pivotal connection'of said framework with the grading member, for the pur pose of producing a downward thrust with reference to the rear portion of the apparatus, and maintaining it in effective engagement with the roadbed. I lVith the foregoing general objects in View, the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawings ing one form of embodiment which devised for embodying the proposed improvements; arm.- which those features one of the principalprovide a combined preferred construction, the appara brackets 10 attached to the grading members 11. Each and combination deemedto be novel will be particularly set forth and claimed;

In the drawings Figure 1 isa plan View of constructed'in accordance "with the present invention taken on the rear grading member shifted into position ror dragging.

an apparatus Figure 2is aside elevationof the-same;

.Referrl ig now to the drawings in detail, 5 these illustrate the improved apparatus as comprising a framework made up of a hori zontal platform member 7 secured upon a pairot name pieces 8 at each end of said platform member 7', each pair of frame pieces '8 being spaced apart, as illustrated in Figure 1, and having their projecting downwardly and illustrated in Figure; 2, for

tion, as indicated at 9, at

forwardly, as

rear faces of the grading member 11 includes also a blade element 12 so cured to its lower edge, and brackets 10 0f each grading member are socured to the lower rear faces of the members ll, or at points adapted to bring the pivotal axis of each its middle longitudinal line as clearly representedin Figures 2 and 4. i

Also" pivotally mounted, as; indicated at 14, between the forward portions of each pair or frame pieces'8 is an approximately Ushap'ed draft member 'or bar 15 provided with the adjustable clips 16, the intermedi ate portion or each draft bar 15 being at tached to the pivot. bolts 14, and leaving" a free downwardly and forwardly project- "ke't connecer and the:

grading member below ing iuposition for ent end portions pivotal connectheir ends with Y s0 I preferably the l ation,-by means of the levers forward end of said frame pieces. By this construction, the pull or draft upon the draft bar 15 causes the arms 15 to engage directly at the pivotal connections between 'illC frame pieces 8 and the forward draft members, thus limiting the pivotal movement of the draft bars, and causing any lifting action to produce a downward thrust upon the rear end portions of the framework and the draft or grading member carried thereby, and operating therefore to maintain the latter-in effective engagement with the roadbeld.

For varying the position of the grading members, the upper margin of each member is provided with a link 20 pivotally connecting it with the lower end of a lever 22 which is pivotally mounted at 23 to one end of a frame piece 24 secured to the top of the platform frame member 7, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3. Each of the levers 23 is provided with the usual latch element 25 engaging a rack or segment 26, whereby said levers may be secured in any desired position of adjustment.

In the operationof the apparatus, after a suitable draft hitch has been made to the clips or clevises 16. the driver mounting the platform member 7, the grading members 11 with the blades 12 are tilted to the proper angle, according to the conditions of oper- 22 and latched in adjusted position. The method of mounting the grading members, with their pivotal points 9 below themiddle longitudinal line of the grading members, causes the power to be applied to the grading members at the most effective points for maintaining the blades in engagement with the surface being operated upon, and the extension arms 15 from the draft members being also arranged to engage at the pivot points 9 of the front or forward grading members is also designed to carry out the draft in such a way as to maintain the rear grading members in effective working position, since any lifting tendency of the forward part of the apparatus will simply be transmitted in such a way as to exert a downward thrust upon the rear portion of the apparatus and hence keep the corresponding grading members in effective engagement with the roadbed. The adjustable mounting for the grading members is designed to permit of any desired adjustment of their working position, so that the blades 12 will be presented at a more or less acute angle with reference to the roadbed, or this angle can be increased to such an extent as to throw either or both of the grading members out of grading position into a more or less oppositely tilted position for efiecting a dragging operation. This altered position of the rear grading member is illustrated by the detail view in Figure 6, where the rear grading member is shown in forwardly tilted position, into which position it may be of course placed independently of the working position of the forward grading member. This independent adjustment of the grading members is an important advantage in that the working action of the grading members can be distributed or somewhat evenly divided between these two members. as under certain conditions the operation -an be carried out better by allowing the forward grading member to be positioned properly for performing only a part of the grading operation, as by effecting a relatively shallow cut, leaving the balance of the grading action to be carried out by the rear grading member, which would be the operation to be desired in a road surface having an unusually large number of chuckholes, and therefore of a very uneven character. The tendency of the rear portion of the ap paratus, including the rear grading member, to be pried out of position by the pull or draft, i form and arrangement of the draft members or bars 15, with their extensions 15, since the tendency of this arrangement would be to lift the forward portion of the apparatus rather than the rear, thereby maintaining the rear grade member always in effective position. lThe ar'angement of the connections for adjusting the grading members has the further important advantage of holding the grading members in working position and resisting the pressure applied to the front faces of the blades 12 by tensional stresses in the links 20, so that these connections serve to securely brace the grading members and it is possible to use lighter materials for these parts.

It is thus apparent that we have provided a practical and efiicient construction for *arrying out the desired objects of the invention, and while we have illustrated what we now regard as the preferred form of construction for embodying the invention we desire to reserve the right to make all such changes or modifications as may fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat we claim is:

l. A combined d 'ag and grading device comprising a framework, a grading member pivotally connected with said framework and adapted to rock about a horizontal axis below the middle longitudinal line of said member, a draft lTlGllJlJQl' pivoted interme' diate its ends to said framework and having a free projecting arm adapted for engagement with the pivotal connection between said framework and grading member, and means carried by said framework for tilting said grading member and latching it in either backwardly inclined grading position or forwardly inclined position for draggin 2. A combined drag and grading device comprising a framework, a pair of grading s reduced to a minimum by the adapted for engagement with the pivotal connection between said framework and the 1 forward grading member.

In witness whereof We hereunto aflix our signatures.

LYDIA A. DUNNUCK. RUSSELL s. PEABODY. 

